Holdings of the music collection available for lending

More recent books and periodicals about music and more recent sheet music (without voices) can also be borrowed for use at home.

Media such as sheet music prints with voices, large scores, sound carriers etc. are only made available for use in the Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images.

Ordering and collecting media

To obtain books and media for home loan, these items need to be ordered using the OPACplus/ BSB catalogue. For this purpose you need a reader pass which can be requested in person at the library's registration office.

Ordered media are available for collection after 2 to 3 working days on average. Those for home lending can be collected in the book collection area on the ground floor.

Contact Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images

Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images – Reading room section for music

The Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images – on the 1st floor – is a special reading room for scholarly users with an interest in these areas.

Reference library music

The music section of the reading room offers a reference library with around 5,700 volumes. In particular, the reference library encompasses all types of bibliographies, catalogues and reference works, basic musicological literature and music periodicals, as well as musical monument series and complete editions.

Reading room loan to the Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images

The collections of the Department of Music, one of the leading music libraries also on an international scale, are made available to musicological research and music practice. The Department of Music has a duty to protect its valuable cultural goods carefully and preserve them for future generations indefinitely. This basic principle requires differentiated regulations of use.

The following parts of the collections may be used exclusively in the Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images:

Printed sheet music with voices

Large scores

Facsimile editions

Microforms

Sound carriers

Music manuscripts

Personal papers related to music

Special collections, such as the historical performance materials of the Bavarian state opera (St.th.)

All historical, rare and particularly valuable holdings

All works in a poor state of conservation

For music manuscripts and for rare historical prints usually digital copies or microfilms and other types of reproduction are provided. The originals can be made available only after consultation with our staff.

Music manuscripts, the historical performance materials of the Bavarian state opera (St.th.) and collections from personal papers can be ordered in person in the Reading Room for Music, Maps and Images, using a white order slip and stating the purpose of the intended use. The use of items from the strong room and personal papers must be requested in writing in advance.